2015 Spring Patterns

Welcome to a new series of smocked cushion tops! I hope that the next smocking ideas in the following seasonal cushion tops will help ignite some ideas of your own! Change the colours to match your home décor, or consider changing the size of the smocked cushion top to suit a sofa or smaller to hang on a door knob. Spring is the first in the series of four seasonal cushions offering not only variations, but three levels of difficulty on a tradition smocking design. The sample design was made using the basic or beginner smocking design which repeats the basic motif. The second design mirror images the basic motif and adds different accents with the possibility of introducing seed bead accents and back smocking. The third design utilizes a technique called ‘colour tumbling’. To do this effectively, choose two colours that are close on the colour wheel like hot pink and orange or lime green and turquoise. Follow the instructions on the graph and use three strands of floss. You, of course, get to choose the colour placement. The stitched designs are the designer choice and meant to guide you. Designed by Judith Marquis Amberlane & Amberpetites www.amberlane.ca